I apologize for the impromptu hiatus. The semester is winding down and school is becoming more urgent and demanding.
Anyway, something I've been experimenting with is making fabrics glow-in-the-dark to create a cool effect with corsets. Here's what I've learned!
1) always test out the fabric with dryel because it's like dry cleaning it. Also make sure to wash it with dish soap and scrubbing because that way it simulates wear and tear.
2) use copious amounts of hairspray :D it smells nice and it keeps the glow-in-the-dark fabric stiffener in
3) apply the glow-in-the-dark fabric stiffener to the wrong side of the fabric because it leaves a really filmy look
4) test it a lot (but that's the fun part)
5) keep the fabric exposed to light, because otherwise it will lose it's glowing qualities.
Have questions? Comments? Things you want me to post about concerning corsets/sewing in general? Leave a comment or shoot me an email :)
Friday, November 12, 2010
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Halloween Cometh
As Halloween approaches, I'm sure people are scrambling to put together a costume. This is the time to go to your local fabric store and craft stores to find some cute, cheap, halloweeny fabric that you will want to use for years to come!
So what if you want to make a corsetted outfit, but don't have the time to put together a whole corset? Here are some things I recommend doing:
Tip 1: Find a Pattern
I highly recommend using a commercial pattern for your first corset, and especially if you're in a hurry. McCalls has some cool patterns and so does Simplicity. Just look under the historical costumes section and you should see some good stuff. Be wary of patterns that are essentially one size fits all because a corset is not one size fits all. I would recommend starting out with an underbust corset, because then you don't have to deal with making the corset fit the chest. If you would like to use the underbust corset pattern that I've drafted send me an email with your waist size (your true waist size, not the one minus 4 inches).
Tip 2: Always Make a Mock Up
Always make a mock up, even if you don't have time, because that way you can make necessary changes without wasting precious fabric. It doesn't take much time to make it (because you really don't have to put in bones, you're just making sure that the corset is small enough). When figuring out your size always go about 4" smaller than your original waist size if you want to get the right look.
Tip 3: Use Bones in a Couple of Key Places
You don't need to make the whole thing heavily boned. You don't even need to make boning channels (unless you're using fabric with a loose weave). Just put bones in a couple of key places: 2 in front and 1 in back with the grommets. If you have time, you can put 1 bone on each seam.
Tip 4: Don't Use a Busk
Busks take time to install, and they can be a little complicated (in my humble opinion). If you want to be able to undo the front, just use more grommets (again, just make sure that you have bones next to them to keep it straight).
Tip 5: Keep the Rest of the Outfit Simple
I would try to use pieces that you already have (for example if you have a dark colored dress, and you hike it up a little in front using some strategic stitches you can be a burlesque vampire). If you want to make the entire costume then keep the rest of it simple because the corset is going to take up a good chunk of your time if you do it right.
Now you can enjoy Halloween in your cute corsetted outfit! If you have any questions or tips of your own please feel free to leave a comment. I'll try and post a picture of my halloween outfit
So what if you want to make a corsetted outfit, but don't have the time to put together a whole corset? Here are some things I recommend doing:
Tip 1: Find a Pattern
I highly recommend using a commercial pattern for your first corset, and especially if you're in a hurry. McCalls has some cool patterns and so does Simplicity. Just look under the historical costumes section and you should see some good stuff. Be wary of patterns that are essentially one size fits all because a corset is not one size fits all. I would recommend starting out with an underbust corset, because then you don't have to deal with making the corset fit the chest. If you would like to use the underbust corset pattern that I've drafted send me an email with your waist size (your true waist size, not the one minus 4 inches).
Tip 2: Always Make a Mock Up
Always make a mock up, even if you don't have time, because that way you can make necessary changes without wasting precious fabric. It doesn't take much time to make it (because you really don't have to put in bones, you're just making sure that the corset is small enough). When figuring out your size always go about 4" smaller than your original waist size if you want to get the right look.
Tip 3: Use Bones in a Couple of Key Places
You don't need to make the whole thing heavily boned. You don't even need to make boning channels (unless you're using fabric with a loose weave). Just put bones in a couple of key places: 2 in front and 1 in back with the grommets. If you have time, you can put 1 bone on each seam.
Tip 4: Don't Use a Busk
Busks take time to install, and they can be a little complicated (in my humble opinion). If you want to be able to undo the front, just use more grommets (again, just make sure that you have bones next to them to keep it straight).
Tip 5: Keep the Rest of the Outfit Simple
I would try to use pieces that you already have (for example if you have a dark colored dress, and you hike it up a little in front using some strategic stitches you can be a burlesque vampire). If you want to make the entire costume then keep the rest of it simple because the corset is going to take up a good chunk of your time if you do it right.
Now you can enjoy Halloween in your cute corsetted outfit! If you have any questions or tips of your own please feel free to leave a comment. I'll try and post a picture of my halloween outfit
Thursday, October 14, 2010
I Figured It's Time
I figured it's time for me to show you a picture of my work. This is a design I've been playing around with in my head for a little while. I'm thinking of making more of it and selling it to folks at some point in time. The reason I'm standing behind it is because I didn't put in the grommets yet, but I wanted to see how it looked.
This is Kelsey. I wound up taking it apart because I didn't like how the top looked, and because I wanted to experiment with the look a little more. I'm actually quite proud of it :D
The pattern I used is one I drafted myself based on one of the corsets in the Corsets and Crinolines book. If you want to learn how to do that I highly recommend reading the Corset Making Revolution link from my previous post "The Book Every Budding Corsetier Should Read."
The fashion fabric is fabric that I had from a previous project. I don't quite remember what type of fabric it was...I think polyester. I used black coutil as the layer that holds the bones (I'm not entirely sure what to call it, I guess I'll call it the strengthening layer). The chain is regular chain that I picked up from Michael's (you can go to any hobby store or jewelry making store for something like that). I used a combination of steel and spring steel bones, and the corset has 14 bones in it. In my later corsets I increased the number of bones to 19, just to make sure that the front was flat and well structured.
That's all for today! If you have any questions about construction, comments about the design, or want me to post about something in particular please leave a comment.
The pattern I used is one I drafted myself based on one of the corsets in the Corsets and Crinolines book. If you want to learn how to do that I highly recommend reading the Corset Making Revolution link from my previous post "The Book Every Budding Corsetier Should Read."
The fashion fabric is fabric that I had from a previous project. I don't quite remember what type of fabric it was...I think polyester. I used black coutil as the layer that holds the bones (I'm not entirely sure what to call it, I guess I'll call it the strengthening layer). The chain is regular chain that I picked up from Michael's (you can go to any hobby store or jewelry making store for something like that). I used a combination of steel and spring steel bones, and the corset has 14 bones in it. In my later corsets I increased the number of bones to 19, just to make sure that the front was flat and well structured.
That's all for today! If you have any questions about construction, comments about the design, or want me to post about something in particular please leave a comment.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Construction Tips
So I just finished my first corset that I plan to sell at Anime Central 2011 (if I can get a space in the Dealer's Room, everyone wish me luck). As I was making it I thought about tips about construction that would've been really useful to me when I started out. Here are a couple of things that I've thought of, and if you can think of more or if you have more questions feel free to leave a comment:
1: The Type of Bones You Should Use
As I said in my previous post "Finding Your Muse" the best resource you can find for how to construct a corset is someone who manufactures them professionally. They tend to tell you what kind of bones they use, how many layers they put in, etc...Personally, I use a combination of spring steel bones and just plain steel bones. The spring steel bones are nice if you want some flexibility in the garment but still desire to have structure. However, I think it is absolutely essential to use steel bones (not spring steel bones) in a couple of places: the front panel (especially if you're like me and don't like using busks) and the very back panel by the grommets. You want to use steel bones in those two places because that's where you want the corset to be flat and straight.
2: How Many Layers the Corset Should Be
I know when I first started out, I thought you wanted to use three layers for your corset: fashion fabric, interlining, and lining. That's what I had read in a couple of places and that's what I thought you were supposed to use. All of my corsets, however, would come out really bulky and not looking the way I wanted them to look. That's when I spoke to Ms. Linda Sparks who told me, in her infinite corset making wisdom, that you want at most two layers: the fashion fabric and the coutil. If you can swing it, you really only want one layer, which you might want to do if you decide to use the bone casings as an accent on the outside of the corset. The point is, you want to use as few layers of material as possible to make sure that the corset isn't bulky and will fit nicely to the wearer's body. Remember, corsets are supposed to be very fitted garments, and they won't conform nicely to the body of the wearer if there's a lot of fabric.
3: The Coutil Question
For the longest time I didn't use coutil when I made corsets, because the material is expensive. When I finally broke down and used coutil as my strengthening layer, it made all the difference. It's not too stiff (actually it's surprisingly flexible) and the material doesn't wrinkle much. However, if you don't want to spend the money on coutil (which I highly recommend you do) make sure that, for the layer you put the bones on, that you use a fabric that has some structure to it (not a lot but some), doesn't wrinkle too much (because otherwise when the person wears it it will wrinkle all over the place), and that the weave is straight, not diagonal (which you can figure out by looking at the material).
4: Make Sure to Reinforce Your Stiches
I know this sounds silly, but make sure that you reinforce your stitches when sewing together your corset. The way to do this is by using two different lengthed stitches. I don't think it matters what size stitch you use first, so long as you use two different stitches. Then I would press the seam flat (fold the edges over, don't split them up) and do a topstitch over the seam. What you have is a nice, reinforced seam that won't bust when tugged. Remember the corset is going to be cynched up so the seams need to be able to withstand a lot of punishment.
5: The Thread Question
I generally use whatever thread I can get, but because I reinforce my stitches it hasn't been a problem. Just make sure that the thread matches the color scheme you want to use. It couldn't hurt to use more heavy duty thread, but I have gotten great results using regular $2 thread from Vogue Fabrics.
That's all for today! If you have any tips of your own or if you have questions, please feel free to leave a comment :) Also leave a comment if there is something in particular that you want me to talk about in my next post.
1: The Type of Bones You Should Use
As I said in my previous post "Finding Your Muse" the best resource you can find for how to construct a corset is someone who manufactures them professionally. They tend to tell you what kind of bones they use, how many layers they put in, etc...Personally, I use a combination of spring steel bones and just plain steel bones. The spring steel bones are nice if you want some flexibility in the garment but still desire to have structure. However, I think it is absolutely essential to use steel bones (not spring steel bones) in a couple of places: the front panel (especially if you're like me and don't like using busks) and the very back panel by the grommets. You want to use steel bones in those two places because that's where you want the corset to be flat and straight.
2: How Many Layers the Corset Should Be
I know when I first started out, I thought you wanted to use three layers for your corset: fashion fabric, interlining, and lining. That's what I had read in a couple of places and that's what I thought you were supposed to use. All of my corsets, however, would come out really bulky and not looking the way I wanted them to look. That's when I spoke to Ms. Linda Sparks who told me, in her infinite corset making wisdom, that you want at most two layers: the fashion fabric and the coutil. If you can swing it, you really only want one layer, which you might want to do if you decide to use the bone casings as an accent on the outside of the corset. The point is, you want to use as few layers of material as possible to make sure that the corset isn't bulky and will fit nicely to the wearer's body. Remember, corsets are supposed to be very fitted garments, and they won't conform nicely to the body of the wearer if there's a lot of fabric.
3: The Coutil Question
For the longest time I didn't use coutil when I made corsets, because the material is expensive. When I finally broke down and used coutil as my strengthening layer, it made all the difference. It's not too stiff (actually it's surprisingly flexible) and the material doesn't wrinkle much. However, if you don't want to spend the money on coutil (which I highly recommend you do) make sure that, for the layer you put the bones on, that you use a fabric that has some structure to it (not a lot but some), doesn't wrinkle too much (because otherwise when the person wears it it will wrinkle all over the place), and that the weave is straight, not diagonal (which you can figure out by looking at the material).
4: Make Sure to Reinforce Your Stiches
I know this sounds silly, but make sure that you reinforce your stitches when sewing together your corset. The way to do this is by using two different lengthed stitches. I don't think it matters what size stitch you use first, so long as you use two different stitches. Then I would press the seam flat (fold the edges over, don't split them up) and do a topstitch over the seam. What you have is a nice, reinforced seam that won't bust when tugged. Remember the corset is going to be cynched up so the seams need to be able to withstand a lot of punishment.
5: The Thread Question
I generally use whatever thread I can get, but because I reinforce my stitches it hasn't been a problem. Just make sure that the thread matches the color scheme you want to use. It couldn't hurt to use more heavy duty thread, but I have gotten great results using regular $2 thread from Vogue Fabrics.
That's all for today! If you have any tips of your own or if you have questions, please feel free to leave a comment :) Also leave a comment if there is something in particular that you want me to talk about in my next post.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Finding Your Muse
For me, finding inspiration is probably one of the most difficult parts of being a designer. What do you do when you find yourself experiencing a writer's block of sorts?
Sometimes this happens when one has so many ideas in her head that she can't focus on any one thing. If you're like me, though, what really happens is you set up your sewing machine, look at it, and then wonder what to do next.
The first place I go is.... *drum roll* the internet! In particular there is a wonderful livejournal community called corsetmakers where sometimes people post pictures of the corsets they've made and discuss how they've put them together. Just looking at the wonderful work these people do is usually enough to get me inspired. Overall I recommend looking at things that other designers have made because there's nothing quite like seeing someone else's work to get your own creative thought processes going.
The second place I usually go is my friends. Phenomena like Facebook are wonderful in that you can look at your friends' pictures and become inspired. For example, I have one friend who owns beautiful corsets, so whenever I feel stuck I look through her pictures. It's a little creepy I know, but ya do whatcha gotta do and hope that they never realize that you're being creepy ;)
Other places to look for inspiration: books, movies, tv, and video games. I know what you're probably thinking: "I knew about books and movies and I can kind of see tv but video games? What can I possibly get from them?" In my humble opinion, video games tend to have some of the most intricate and interesting costume designs. I guess this is because they don't have to worry about reality. Anyway, the result is that it's really fun and quite a challenge to try and make those designs come to life, and you'll be inspired to make your own unique designs.
What if you have a concept in mind but don't know how to implement it? That's where resources like this blog and corsetmakers community on livejournal come in handy. Don't try to reinvent the wheel. Look for what others have done and try to put your own spin on it. For example, I'm planning on putting together a fiery fae costume using a corset I bought at Anime Central like 5 years ago (long before I knew I wanted to make my own corsets). I spent a good chunk of time researching what a fiery fae was to get an idea of what it might look like, which helped me create my own ideas. This involved looking at drawings that other people have done.
The last thing I recommend if you decide to try and make your own corset is to buy one for yourself first. I highly recommend doing this because then you'll get a better idea of how it should fit and what other people who make corsets professionally use. The people who sell corsets generally like to tell you what's in them and what kind of materials they use, which is an invaluable resource when you're starting out.
Anyway, that's all for today! I don't think I'll be able to post every day (because by day I am actually a mild mannered law student) but I will try to at least post weekly.
As always, if you have comments or if there is a topic you would like to see me write about please leave a comment.
Sometimes this happens when one has so many ideas in her head that she can't focus on any one thing. If you're like me, though, what really happens is you set up your sewing machine, look at it, and then wonder what to do next.
The first place I go is.... *drum roll* the internet! In particular there is a wonderful livejournal community called corsetmakers where sometimes people post pictures of the corsets they've made and discuss how they've put them together. Just looking at the wonderful work these people do is usually enough to get me inspired. Overall I recommend looking at things that other designers have made because there's nothing quite like seeing someone else's work to get your own creative thought processes going.
The second place I usually go is my friends. Phenomena like Facebook are wonderful in that you can look at your friends' pictures and become inspired. For example, I have one friend who owns beautiful corsets, so whenever I feel stuck I look through her pictures. It's a little creepy I know, but ya do whatcha gotta do and hope that they never realize that you're being creepy ;)
Other places to look for inspiration: books, movies, tv, and video games. I know what you're probably thinking: "I knew about books and movies and I can kind of see tv but video games? What can I possibly get from them?" In my humble opinion, video games tend to have some of the most intricate and interesting costume designs. I guess this is because they don't have to worry about reality. Anyway, the result is that it's really fun and quite a challenge to try and make those designs come to life, and you'll be inspired to make your own unique designs.
What if you have a concept in mind but don't know how to implement it? That's where resources like this blog and corsetmakers community on livejournal come in handy. Don't try to reinvent the wheel. Look for what others have done and try to put your own spin on it. For example, I'm planning on putting together a fiery fae costume using a corset I bought at Anime Central like 5 years ago (long before I knew I wanted to make my own corsets). I spent a good chunk of time researching what a fiery fae was to get an idea of what it might look like, which helped me create my own ideas. This involved looking at drawings that other people have done.
The last thing I recommend if you decide to try and make your own corset is to buy one for yourself first. I highly recommend doing this because then you'll get a better idea of how it should fit and what other people who make corsets professionally use. The people who sell corsets generally like to tell you what's in them and what kind of materials they use, which is an invaluable resource when you're starting out.
Anyway, that's all for today! I don't think I'll be able to post every day (because by day I am actually a mild mannered law student) but I will try to at least post weekly.
As always, if you have comments or if there is a topic you would like to see me write about please leave a comment.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
A Book That Every Budding Corsetier Should Read
The book that every budding corsetier should read is The Basics of Corset Building by Linda Sparks. It is an incredible resource that discusses in detail how to build a corset in a way that is pretty easy to understand, in my humble opinion.
I lucked out in that I actually met Ms. Sparks. She's incredible, and gave me a lot of advice. She even signed my copy of the book!
I know I said that there was only one book, but then again the other thing I'm about to recommend isn't really a book. Every person who wants to make corsets should read the Corsetmaking Revolution at http://www.foundationsrevealed.com/downloads/CorsetmakingRevolution2.pdf
My good friend was kind enough to share this with me. Essentially this download (for lack of a better word) is about how to draft a corset pattern! It's amazing, and I use the skills I learned in it all the time. Let's face it, for something as structured and fitted as a corset you can't really use a standard pattern, nor should you be restricted to that!
Anyway, that is all for tonight lovelies! If there is something specific you want to know and would like to see a whole post dedicated to it, leave a comment. You should leave a comment either way, but certainly leave one if you want to know more about something specific.
I lucked out in that I actually met Ms. Sparks. She's incredible, and gave me a lot of advice. She even signed my copy of the book!
I know I said that there was only one book, but then again the other thing I'm about to recommend isn't really a book. Every person who wants to make corsets should read the Corsetmaking Revolution at http://www.foundationsrevealed.com/downloads/CorsetmakingRevolution2.pdf
My good friend was kind enough to share this with me. Essentially this download (for lack of a better word) is about how to draft a corset pattern! It's amazing, and I use the skills I learned in it all the time. Let's face it, for something as structured and fitted as a corset you can't really use a standard pattern, nor should you be restricted to that!
Anyway, that is all for tonight lovelies! If there is something specific you want to know and would like to see a whole post dedicated to it, leave a comment. You should leave a comment either way, but certainly leave one if you want to know more about something specific.
First Post!
Hello All!
Welcome to the Corsetier's Conundrum, where I talk about my love of creating corsets. For the most part I will try and concentrate on the evolution of my process of creating corsets, as well as when and where I will be selling corsets. This page will also be where I talk about my experience of being a budding corset designer and business person.
I hope that you all enjoy this! Please feel free to leave comments.
Welcome to the Corsetier's Conundrum, where I talk about my love of creating corsets. For the most part I will try and concentrate on the evolution of my process of creating corsets, as well as when and where I will be selling corsets. This page will also be where I talk about my experience of being a budding corset designer and business person.
I hope that you all enjoy this! Please feel free to leave comments.
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